One of the female boxing’s hidden gems, Welterweight Nicole Woods, is getting ready for a scheduled November 28th showdown against undefeated Chris Namus (7-0, 2 KO’s). The bout is being hosted in Namus’ home turf, Uruguay , where all Namus’ prior fights have taken place.
Woods’ 6-3 record is deceiving, as her skills in the ring coupled with her mental toughness make her a true test for any fighter near her weight class. Woods has never tried to pad her record and instead has been eager to face the most prominent females near her weight class, opting to truly test her abilities as opposed to building up a glossy record. Norway ’s Cecelia Braekhus is testament to this, as the 10-0 Norway fighter was given one of her toughest fights in the ring against Woods this past June on the undercard of Arthur Abraham’s rematch with Edison Miranda at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood , Florida .
Braekhus would escape with a unanimous decision win but not before being dragged into a back and forth dog fight with Woods, who applied the pressure throughout. Braekhus and Woods both put on a great display of courage and determination while also showing true skill and professional poise. Woods claimed to have injured her in the second round of the contest and seems open to a rematch with Braekhus down the road.
Following that bout Woods has gone on to score two consecutive victories; one being a decision over Bonnie Mann on August 30th and the other being a 4th round knockout over Manny Todd less that a month later. For her bout against Namus, Woods fully understands the risks of doing battle on her opponent’s home turf, “You know what they say,” Woods told 8 Count News recently. “In a situation like this your only way of winning might be to score the knockout. I’m definitely looking to stop her and that’s just the mindset I have to come with.”
Woods trained for the bout in Georgia and seems fully geared up for yet another clash with an undefeated opponent.
“I am definitely feeling strong and training camp actually has gone really well for me,” Woods claimed. “This is a big fight for me. I’m not out to just be a good fighter, I want to become an undisputed champion and these are the fights I have to take in order to get there.”
At the end of the day Nicole Woods has succeeded in this sport not just through her heart and will but also her clear understanding of the uphill battle she faces as a female fighter in one of the cruelest sports around.“Being a female in boxing is hard,” Woods concedes. “Since there are fewer females in the spotlight you are basically representing not only yourself every time you fight but also the state of women’s boxing with each performance. Some people question women’s worth in the sport and you have to justify yourself every time out. Still, it doesn’t bother me too much and I just use the pressure as motivation.”
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